- All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. Psalm 73:13 – The psalmist found himself in a tough, low spot, and sadly it’s a spot many believers can find themselves in as well. The psalmist wrote about how he saw the wicked of this world thriving in this life, finding even more success and blessing than those seeking to live righteously for the Lord. It didn’t make sense to Him, if God saw all this and if God’s word was true, why would the wicked be finding themselves in such success in this life? Likely you too have had similar thoughts. You see people, who clearly are not seeking to live for Jesus, having wild success in this life. Far more success than you who are trying to live rightly. After seeing this unfold before him over and over, our psalmist got the the point in our verse above. He felt it was pointless that he’d sought to have a clean heart in this life and hands free of guilt. If sinners found more success, why would anyone not turn to sin? Thankfully we see the Lord open the eyes of our psalmist to the eternal side of life. That while there is an appearance of success for the wicked, it is only a distraction to the reality of death coming their way along their path. Our takeaway then is we ought to never be jealous of the wicked around us who are finding more success in this life than we are. Sure their bank account is bigger and they have more followers than we do, but our inheritance is Heaven. They have success, we have the Savior. Maybe for the next 70-80 years they’ll enjoy this world more than you, but in 1000 years the one swimming in blessing will be the righteous. Remain faithful, your clean heart and innocent hands are exactly what God is after. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3486
- But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Psalms 73:16-17 – This psalm looks at the apparent success and wealth of those who choose a path of not following God compared to that of a faithful follower. We see the psalmist confused and overwhelmed trying to understand this on his own. Then he went to God with it all and found the understanding he was seeking. We too will run into confusing things in life and find ourselves overwhelmed trying to understand them on our own. Know God is inviting you to come to Him with your questions and confusion. He can help give answers and new ways to view this life. Don’t find yourself weary trying to understand life when the Creator of life is available to seek answers from. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1136
- When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. Psalm 73:21-23 – The psalmist is reflecting on the state of his heart towards God in the past. Bitter and ignorant of who he was speaking to. It even says he was like a beast toward God. Meaning just like an animal who can’t have any connection with God like humans can, he was in complete disconnect from God in his reactions. Not thinking of God at all in how he was responding, feeling, thinking, or speaking. Nevertheless, God never left him. Even when the psalmist rejected connection with God, God pursued connection with him. Maybe your heart isn’t as bitter towards God as our psalmist, but whatever lack of connection you have with God right now know God is still plugged in deeply to your life. The disconnect isn’t on God’s side and He’ll never step away from you even in your brutish attitude towards Him. Know anytime you want to seek connection with God again He’s ready, waiting, and welcoming you back to Himself. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2033
Daily DEVO 